“Scotland’s Climate Engagement Fund reopens”

Scotland’s Climate Engagement Fund has reopened for applications and will remain open until Tuesday, May 7, 2024. Organisations across Scotland, including community, cultural, and education groups, can now apply for support from a fund aimed at engaging people in tackling the climate emergency.

The £250,000 fund supports activities such as climate festivals, skills workshops, art exhibitions, and youth development programmes. These events and programmes aim to increase people’s understanding of climate change and encourage climate action, according to the Scottish government.

The annual fund has already supported eight projects with funding totaling £550,000. One of the projects, the Building Futures Galloway project, has equipped people in the region with skills to improve the energy efficiency of historic buildings and apply techniques in their own homes.

Màiri McAllan, the Net Zero Secretary, emphasized Scotland’s commitment to meeting the target of net zero emissions by 2045. She highlighted the importance of people understanding the climate emergency, the actions they can take to help, and the support available to them through initiatives like the Climate Engagement Fund.

Chair of the Board of Building Futures Galloway, Graeme Davies, praised the fund for supporting various activities addressing energy efficiency issues in historic homes and buildings. He mentioned a film project involving young people from Whithorn Primary School, where they learned about heritage restoration projects and shared their knowledge through a film screened at an assembly and broadcast online to other schools in Scotland.

By supporting grassroots action, the Climate Engagement Fund aims to empower individuals and communities to actively contribute to tackling climate change.